


Pact

by Morpheus626



Series: Lee's Rock/Queentober 2020 [27]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: FTM Reader, M/M, trans reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:20:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626
Summary: Assigned lad for this day: JohnSynopsis: John/Trans M Reader. Set around 1982 Just Because. Due to an accident, John is temporarily out of commission, and off the stage. What is the band to do?Well, you can play bass. And you’ve joined them on tour. So actually the answer to that is very easy!
Relationships: John Deacon/Reader
Series: Lee's Rock/Queentober 2020 [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950265
Kudos: 8





	Pact

“You really think you can do it?” 

You nodded, despite the part of you that felt you might throw up from nerves. 

“Really?” John smiled. “You can back out, you know, one of the techs or Spike could step in too...” 

“Hush,” Freddie said. “You’ll give him stage fright! And there’s nothing to be afraid of, the crowd is aware we’ve got someone filling in for Deaky-” 

“So they don’t expect too much?” Roger laughed. “Is that what you’re trying to say, to make him feel better?!” 

“That’s not exactly what I meant,” Freddie replied, distressed. “You know that, love, I didn’t mean it that way.” 

You nodded. You knew Freddie well enough to know he truly hadn’t meant anything bad by it, but all the same, you really hoped Roger was right and the crowd would have reasonable expectations and would forgive you any mistakes, because you certainly wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself for them. 

Hell, you hadn’t ever expected your pact with John, that had been at least partially a joke, to come to fruition. But now he was on day four of a doctor ordered week’s rest after nearly mangling his hand in a car door, and while Spike or one of the bass techs were certainly replacement options, he had remembered your pact, and begged you to keep it. 

“You’ll do wonderfully,” John reassured you with a quick kiss as he helped the tech drape his bass over you. “You play well in front of us, so you can play well in front of all of them out there.” 

Brian, who was getting suited up as well, gave you a smile. “Take a breath. You’re fine.” 

You nodded, and let out the breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. 

It was only a few minutes more of a wait, John following all of you out to the wings of the stage, giving you one last kiss on the cheek before Roger took his place, the sound of the drums hit your ears, Brian’s guitar followed, and before you and Freddie could jog out-

The entire thing went dark. 

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Roger’s frustrated screech echoed in the powerless venue, and the crowd laughed. “We’ll have everything back on in a moment, hang on!” 

Freddie rolled his eyes, or at least you knew he would be, though you couldn’t make out much of him or anyone else in the dark. “I’m going to go out, help them handle the crowd. John, I know the venue has staff, but do you mind?” 

“I’m certainly not letting any of you stay out there without my looking at things,” John replied. “Y/N, you want to come with, help hold a torch so I can take a look at whatever mess they’ve got for an electrical system here?” 

You carefully handed his bass off to one of the techs, coming into focus as your eyes adjusted to the dark, and snagged a torch from the stage side equipment crates as you followed John down the halls towards the circuit breaker. 

“Do you think it can be fixed?” you asked softly as he got to work, the venue staff stepping aside to let him at it. It was less that they wanted to let him in, it seemed, and more that they could tell there was no point in questioning him or stopping him. 

“Most things can be fixed,” John replied. “This...” 

He turned to the waiting staff, and scoffed. “You do know breakers aren’t supposed to be fucking melted, yeah?” 

The maybe-nineteen-year-old holding his own flickering torch shrugged. “I’m normally on tickets.” 

“And tonight you are...” John gave the kid a look. 

“I...I’m gonna go back up front and help take tickets,” the kid laughed and walked away. 

“On a scale of one to completely baked, how high do you think that poor thing is?” you giggled as you held the torch back up to the breaker box. 

“High enough to piss me off,” John grumbled. “This can’t be fixed, not fast enough for the show!” 

He slammed shut the breaker box door with his good hand.

“Hey!” you aimed the torch at the floor and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Okay, so we’re going to have some upset fans. But we can figure a way to do another show for them, right? Make an extra date, spend another night here maybe...we’ll work something out.” 

“I know that,” John fussed. 

“Then what on earth is the problem?” you asked gently, taking his good hand as you walked him back down the hall to the stage, so you could break the bad news together. 

“I was excited to see you play for them,” John murmured. “I wasn’t kidding earlier. You were going to do well, and now by the time we end up back here, I’ll be able to play again.” 

You nodded. “True. But maybe, if you’d like to see me onstage that much, you might need a break for one song?” 

His smile was small, but his grip on your hand tightened and he moved closer to you. “I think I might. And would the famous bass player-” 

“Oh hush,” you giggled. “One show does not make fame, and I’m not good enough for that.” 

“As I was saying,” John gently bumped into your shoulder. “Would the famous bass player mind if I photographed the performance?” 

“You don’t have to do that,” you replied. 

“I know,” John said. “But I want to. My suitcase needs a few new pictures of you kept in it, for the tours you can’t be out here with us.” 

“I suppose I could allow some photography, if that’s what it’s for,” you said. “Now...ready to break some hearts?” 

“No,” he sighed. 

“Me neither,” you admitted. “But I don’t know how much longer the boys can stall out there.” 

“At least you can all mostly see us now, yes?” Freddie’s voice called out. “Everyone’s eyes have adjusted?” 

“We can’t keep them waiting,” you winced. 

“If we had to, they could handle it,” John said, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice. And he was probably right, but all the same, it felt incredibly cruel to leave Roger, Brian and Freddie up there any longer. 

He started to pull you onstage, but you shook your head. “I’ll get my turn. You go out and help break the news, and I’ll be here to help you figure out how to spend the rest of your evening.” 

He smiled, and walked onstage to an overwhelming cheer, though he could only have just been visible to the crowd. 

You knew they wouldn’t be cheering after he explained the unfortunate situation, but all the same, it warmed your heart to hear the cheers, just for him. Shared cheers were wonderful too of course, but at times, you worried he thought he was easily replaceable. 

But that wasn’t the case at all. You knew very well that you or anyone else could play the notes, but you couldn’t bring the magic to them that John did. 

There were a few days off now, and by the time the next concert was due, John would be back onstage. 

You would have to take some pictures of him, just like he wanted to take of you. Not only for yourself to hang onto, but to show him. To help him see exactly how gorgeous and wonderful he was up there, what a powerhouse he was. 

He’d still probably giggle and push off the compliments, but you were going to shower him in them anyway. He deserved them. 


End file.
